5 Future Car Technologies

Technology is ever advancing, and at Land Rover a dedicated team are continuously devising, building and testing new car technologies.

With innovative features such as Intelligent Seat Fold technology and All Terrain Progress Control already available to Land Rover drivers, we take a look at the technologies that are being developed and the future vehicles that will come with the introduction of these new technologies.

Transparent Bonnet

When tackling steep inclines or uneven terrain, being able to see what is directly in front of your vehicle and the angle and position of your wheels would be a huge asset to anyone in the driver’s seat.

Our prototype Transparent Bonnet technology aims to provide this unparalleled view of the terrain the driver is on, making driving easier and safer.

Cameras located in the vehicle's grille capture data used to feed a Head-up Display, effectively creating a 'see-through' view of the terrain through the bonnet and engine bay, breaking new ground in visual driver assistance.

The view is created by augmented reality and is not only aimed at difficult 4x4 off-road driving, but also designed to help in the urban environment, too.

Pothole Alert

Potholes are an unavoidable part of our driving experience, but with Pothole Alert Technology we hope to make this a thing of the past.

So, how does this work?

Sophisticated sensors in the wheels and on the underneath of the vehicle detects potholes and adjusts the vehicle’s suspension in just milliseconds. This change is made possible by MagneRide; a high-performance, semi-active suspension control system that responds in real time to road conditions.

The plan for the future is to take this technology further by installing advance forward facing stereo digital cameras to scan the road ahead. The aim is to combine this sensory system with autonomous driving technology in the vehicle, so the car can safely guide itself around a pothole it detects in the road ahead.

Once a vehicle has encountered a pothole, the data of its location could be shared with other Land Rovers, via Connected Car technology. The sharing of this information will alert other Land Rover driver’s to the pothole in plenty of time, allowing them to avoid it.

Another plan for this data is to share it with local authorities, giving them up to date information on the occurrence and location of potholes.

Driver Wellness Monitoring

With driver safety a key consideration in the development of all Land Rover vehicles, our future car technologies team have been testing ways to monitor the health of the person behind the wheel.

One approach being trialed is the use of medical grade censors in the seat and steering wheel which monitor the driver’s heart and breathing rate while driving. Monitoring these vital signs will mean a sudden change in breathing or heart rate, one which may signal danger, can work with autonomous driving technology to bring the car to a safe stop in the event of a health emergency.

The sharing of the vehicle’s GPS, which co-ordinates with emergency services, is also a further extension to the testing being undertaken and a potential future addition to Land Rover’s in-car technology.

LIDAR Pedestrian Detection

An array of high resolution lasers are a key component in this collision avoidance system which is currently being tested. Advanced sensor technologies, also known as LIDAR, use high resolution lasers and radar to identify and measure the distance of objects in the vehicle’s surroundings, this includes pedestrians.

Once an obstacle is identified, the technology becomes active, alerting the driver to potential dangers around the vehicle. If the driver does not respond to the alert, the car will take over, autonomously slowing the vehicle or bringing it safely to a stop.

Once again, the driver will be sent an alert, notifying them of what is happening and why.

With this technology, drivers can look forward to an added level of observation, helping them to identify and avoid danger.

Speed Adjustment

Land Rover’s research and development team are always looking for a way to maximize both comfort and safety for our drivers, and this includes ensuring speed limits are adhered to.

Speed adjustment technology will work by recognising set speed limits on the road being travelled and providing an alert to the driver about the approaching change in limit. If necessary, it can automatically adjust the speed of the vehicle to comply with the limit.

With car technology constantly developing and evolving, so too will your driving experience. Our concept cars are used to test and develop the technologies that will ensure Land Rover’s continued status as a safe SUV.